The diving in Cozumel was better than expected! This was my 4th trip to Cozumel. It was a very last minute decision, since our holiday trip that we did have planned fell through. So, I knew Cozumel would be easy to book and would also be easy diving for my brand new dive buddy that had just gotten certified before our trip.

The trip was really great. The dive operation – Aqua Safari – was well run (I also dove with them back in 2006), but they no longer seem to have the small boat option for individuals, which I prefer – especially in Cozumel. They do have a private boat option though, on a small boat and that is a really great deal if you have a group of 6-8 people. I did do that in 2009 with a group of 6 and it worked out great great since you are diving with people you know and you have more control over dive sites.

Even though the diving was good, and we met several great people – both locals and visiting divers, like us; I am not sure if I will be returning. First, the number of cruise ships docking at that tiny island has gotten ridiculous! Sometimes there are 6 ships!!! So many of our dives were invaded by several other big groups of divers. Not cool!

Then, there is the whole in-town vibe that has changed. We stayed in town because I like to be able to walk around and try different restaurants, etc. But the “barkers” trying to get us into their shops seem to have taken on some sort of privileged, arrogant, and even menacing tone. We are not cruise ship people, we are not there to buy touristy junk that we don’t need. Just because we are on vacation – that does not mean that we have money to throw away… and even if we do – why would we? We even received threats at one point – because we did not acknowledge someone trying to lure us into his shop.

But, I don’t want to end this on a negative. Our trip was amazing! The diving in Cozumel is still top notch. When you get away from the main drag, the people are extremely friendly. And, I must say, Cozumel has some incredibly talented artists. Sam and I spent a whole day driving scooters around the island – and the evening part of that drive was just a search around town for murals.

On my most recent trip, my main focus was not on shooting video – it was being there for my dive buddy – a brand new diver. So, I did several dives without a camera and didn’t have my camera on the very best dive of the trip. But I still managed to get a few cool shots.

My first impression when seeing the Kraken 10,000 lumen Solar Flare Max underwater video light was how nicely crafted they are. The light is incredibly durable with metal construction and a strong glass dome for the LED lights that spreads the light underwater. It also comes with a neoprene cover for the dome and nice soft carrying case – similar to a camera bag. I was on a “roughing it” type live-aboard with no accommodations for camera gear. So having such large and heavy lights along was challenging. But the Solar Flare lights provided such beautiful illumination that it was worth the struggles.

After years of using older and less powerful lights, or relying on filters and manual white balance, I had the pleasure to test out the new iTorch Venom c92 video lights. The results were undeniably improved, with clean, vibrant colors and far more detail. So… I will never go without good quality video lights again.

AE has a serious case of bad luck. More than a dozen artists channel myth, folklore and personal experience to create art that visualizes omens, superstitions, and curses. The drawings, paintings and sculptures on display represent a variety of artistic mediums and techniques, with imagery ranging from scary to sublime.

Sarah Miller will be reading cards during the Knock on Wood opening from 7:30-9:30. Sarah has been studying tarot for 15 years and has been actively reading cards for others since 2007. For those who are new to the idea of a tarot reading, it is best to take a few minutes to reflect on a question, or current life situation that you can share with Sarah. She will use the tarot cards as a means to provide guidance in regards to what you bring to the table. At the opening event, readings will be limited to 10-15 minutes (1-3 questions).